


Heat

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [22]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:35:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6





	1. Chapter 1

Starrk walked through the streets of Karakura town, a rather mischievous smile on his lips. Lilinette walked beside him, just as amused at what was happening.

"Wow, that took a long time, didn't it Starrk?" She said and he nodded.

"A very long time." Normally a hollow heat was a monthly occurrence. It was very annoying, much like menstrual cramps. Betas just learned to live with it, when they weren't interested in mating. On his transition to arrancar, though, Starrk's heats had stopped completely. He'd assumed that meant he was sterile.

Now, however, he was in the throes of the most massive heat of his life. The desire to mate was singing through him and Starrk was not going to rest until he found someone to mate. However, that posed problems.

Grimmjow was god-only-knows where, probably killing things. If Starrk had been able to find him, he would have mated the cat instantly. He wasn't really ideal – Starrk was relatively sure he'd be abandoned as soon as the heat was over – but he was decently powered and an arrancar. Acceptable, if just barely.

But he hadn't been able to find the cat and the other arrancar were unacceptable. So now he was trying to attract the attention of the only other hybrids who might be capable of seeding him.

"My my. What is the Primera doing here? Taking a stroll?" That voice. Starrk sighed to himself, turning to look at the owner. Then his heart did a dance as he saw who else was with him. He'd brought the two strongest ones! Normally that would have worried him – clearly they'd decided to send a very powerful group to bring the hammer down – but not today.

"I'm not interested in you." He said to the man in pink. Screw him. He might as well not exist. "But thank you so very, very much for bringing these two." He fixed his gaze on the man with the disturbing smile and the one with the silver hair. "I am Coyote Starrk." He said, breathing out just the faintest touch of his mating pheromones. He could feel the hollows inside those two instantly perk up. "Tell me, what are your names?"

"Hirako Shinji." The one with the smile said. He was grinning right now, in fact.

"Muguruma Kensei." The other one said shortly. Starrk smiled as the one with the other one spoke again.

"Now, what d'you think you're doin' here? I thought you said you'd be staying in Hueco Mundo." He said as Starrk put a finger in his mouth, teasingly sucking on the digit. As he did that, Kensei frowned and Starrk could feel the energy in him fluctuate. He pulled the finger out, allowing the wetness to gleam in the light of the moon. He could practically feel the hollows inside these two twitching, but the shinigami seemed largely oblivious. Interesting.

"Well, I wasn't expecting this to happen." He said idly, examining his finger for a moment before wiping it off on his uniform. He could sense Lilinette beginning to grow impatient but he was honestly having fun teasing them. The man in pink, oddly enough, picked up on what he was doing.

"Are you flirting, Espada-san?" He sounded very amused and the two Visored exchanged a glance. Starrk smiled, also quite amused.

"Something like that." Although rather more profound. Lilinette sighed in irritation.

"OI! Stop playing with them Starrk!" She said and he sighed. "Just do it! Do it!"

"Oh… alright." He rested a hand on her head and called on his power. "Kick About, Los Lobos!" He called forth his resurrection in a burst of surprisingly gentle blue fire. But most of the power was directed in a completely different way than usual and both the Visored reeled as his aroma went from enticing to irresistible.

"No… I can't…" Shinji was just barely hanging on, but then Kensei lost control completely. A hollow mask went over his face, and more. Strange projections formed on his back and black and gold eyes stared at the Beta in front of him with feral intent. Then he noticed the Alpha hollow beside him and turned, punching Shinji in the face. The blow caused the other Visored to lose control as well and his mask appeared as he leapt at Kensei with a roar.

"What the…?!" The only one unaffected by what Starrk had done was Shunsui and he was utterly appalled. "What is going on here? Stop!" The two hollows ignored him, concentrating on grappling each other as Starrk watched calmly. They were causing a great deal of property damage but he didn't care. In fact, he didn't even think about it. "What have you done?" Kyoraku had his swords out and was glaring at him but Starrk met his gaze with complete unconcern. He knew if the other man actually tried to harm him, the two Visored currently fighting it out would turn on him viciously.

"I am in heat and now, they are in rut." Starrk said calmly, watching as the battle continued. It was getting vicious. "They fight to see who will have the privilege of mating me and seeding me with offspring." That was a perfectly logical thing to do. If he'd been a weaker Beta they might have made HIM seek their attention. They were both very powerful Alphas. But he was not a weak Beta… he was an obscenely strong one, the kind of Beta powerful Alphas dreamed of someday encountering. The two hollows within the shinigami desperately wanted this prize. Shunsui absorbed that for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"Can you move them? If they unleash ceros here many people could be killed." He said and Starrk blinked. He hadn't thought of that… but then, his own reasoning capacity was centred on one thing and that was mating. The heat burning through him demanded it. Starrk frowned as he realized this was a real problem.

"You're right." He said before flying into the air. A quick shot of his weapon into the sky caught their attention, since it could signify the Beta was in danger. "We need to move this so you can fight without interference. Follow me." He said before vanishing in a quick sonido. There was a pair of protests but he could feel the two Alphas following him. Of course they would. How could they not? Interestingly enough, Shunsui did not follow them. Likely he was going to summon help to corral the hollows. That briefly concerned Starrk but there wasn't much he could do about it. He just hoped these two finished their battle quickly.

As soon as Starrk found a new spot, safely out of the city, the battle recommenced. He watched their techniques with interest. They weren't just fighting with pure hollow abilities, now. Starrk had a feeling the rut was reaching the shinigami within as well. After all, shinigami felt a need to breed. It might not have been as hormonally driven as what hollows experienced, but it was powerful.

The battle was very near to done and Starrk thought Shinji would win when suddenly, a third combatant appeared.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" That eerie, double toned voice caught the Beta's attention and he turned his head in time to see a blast of black and red power. It hit the two hollows, making them scream.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Kensei protested, his voice carrying the same double tone as the strangers. It reminded Starrk a little of a soul scream. Odd, but there was nothing normal about these hybrids. The one above them tittered, a truly unnerving sound.

"Life's not fair, motherfuckers!" He said before attacking full force. Starrk's eyes widened a little in appreciation. True, Shinji and Kensei were both slightly exhausted but he thought maybe this stranger could have taken them both even when they were rested. Who was he? The hair was pure white. The Espada honestly had no idea.

It didn't take very long for the newcomer to completely destroy the two Visored. They were both lying in smoking craters, still alive but badly hurt, when the victor turned towards him. Slate grey eyes, gripped with the fever of the heat, met equally crazed black and gold. Then the other hollow leapt and Starrk didn't try to evade. This one had won the right to mate him, without a doubt.

"Shit you are so strong!" The Alpha said as he pinned the Coyote to the ground, biting his throat. Starrk grunted, tilting his head back for his new Alpha. He tasted the blood, making a sound of utter desire. Starrk knew what he was doing… sampling the power in the blood, evaluating his strength. "I'd mate anything, no fucking chances in here, but you're so damned perfect!"

"Thank you." Vaguely, Starrk supposed it would be different for the hollows trapped in these hybrids. How many chances for mating could they have? Practically none. Whatever sex their 'hosts' were having probably didn't count. "You are wonderful too." Truly, he'd found more than he'd hoped for. Just a single powerful Alpha would have been enough but three? His day was full.

"Enough talking, more fucking." The hollow said and Starrk agreed. Clothing was pulled away impatiently and then Starrk took the right position, hands and knees in front of the Alpha. His body was breached by one smooth thrust and Starrk grunted, lowering his head for a moment at the pleasurable burn. His body flexed and shifted, struggling to accommodate that length. His Alpha was large… "Shit! So tight… this your first heat?" The absurdity of that question made Starrk laugh, but it ended in a gasp as the other began to move.

"No. But if you live… first successful… mating…" He'd tried many times, when he'd still been an adjuchas. But the potent reiatsu that marked him as a future vasto lorde had killed his partners before they could fill him with seed. The Vizard behind him laughed.

"Now that won't be a problem." Starrk was glad he was confident. The power in him was already rising, like a tornado of force. He wouldn't be able to hold it back.

But the other hollow was right to be confident. That hard length tortured his insides, drawing howls and barks from the Primera, the primal sounds of a dog hollow satisfying a heat. His power began flowing out of him, meshing with the power behind him. That was the dangerous point… if the other was too weak his Beta power would utterly destroy him. But he was strong, so very strong and the potent force of his reiatsu merged with Starrk's fearlessly. That combined power stroked them both, feeling like the best caress in the world, sinking into their bodies and leaking out, driving them to even wilder mating. There were no words now, only animal sounds and pants. The hollow behind him hissed violently, reminding Starrk of a lizard as he ground against his body, struggling to get as far as possible into the wet heat of his chosen Beta.

They were very close to finishing when Starrk vaguely detected the energy of approaching shinigami. That wasn't good… this mating had to finish. Trying to signal his urgency he whined and the other responded, taking him even harder. Starrk could feel the swell inside him, the knot forming to keep the other's semen and power in place. It was not just physical, but reiatsu based, a powerful instinct. And for good reason… when they were done the defeated Alphas might still have a chance, if they recovered quickly enough. The form behind him finally stiffened and Starrk cried out as his orgasm came over him. Powerful reiatsu, blue and black and red exploded from them as the other pumped him full of reiatsu and semen. The coming shinigami faltered in the face of that reiatsu storm, which bought them just enough time.

"Shit! We have to get out of here." The Vizard beside him hissed as the power died down. Starrk looked over his shoulder with a blink.

"We?" He'd assumed that whatever mating he managed with the Vizard would result in his abandonment. He honestly didn't mind. Most Betas raised their pups alone, although they always appreciated it when an Alpha stayed. The Vizard chuckled, running a hand through his chestnut hair, petting him as their bodies remained linked. He was giving his body time to subside, which was necessary.

"I'm probably never going to have a proper mate again. I'm not letting you get away. Fuck King, he managed to sleep through this, the idiot." Starrk frowned at that and wanted to ask a question, but they were truly out of time. The other pulled out of him and he immediately grabbed his clothes. "Come on, make a garganta, I can't."

"Yes." Starrk had always wondered why the Vizard couldn't make garganta. Perhaps they didn't have the natural navigation instinct that was required. It hardly mattered at the moment, though. He created the garganta and they both stepped through.

It had already closed by the time the shinigami arrived.

Ichigo yawned, shifting slightly as he woke up from the most wonderful dream he'd ever had.

It was a strange dream though. For one thing, it had felt shockingly real. He'd dreamed that he'd gotten out of bed, smelling something absolutely wonderful that he needed to find. Why he needed it he wasn't sure, but he'd gone to find the source of the tantalizing aroma. He'd defeated the hollows – Vizard? – fighting over a brown haired man. Then he'd had sex with the man and it had been beyond amazing.

That scent though. He could still smell it. Slowly opening his eyes, he became aware of a head of brown hair right in front of his own.

…! Ichigo stared in shock, vaguely aware of his hollow laughing in the back of his mind. The man from his dream was in front of him, deeply asleep on some rather grubby cushions. A little girl was with him, curled up beside him. Ichigo was on his own cushion and they were in a cave?

"Wh-what… what…" There was a stutter in the soft breathing beside him and the man's head turned. Ichigo's breath caught in his throat as he recognized him. "You!" The man stared at him blankly for a moment before blinking.

"Oh… you? But your hair was white." He sounded confused and Ichigo scowled, reaching for his sword. Then his hollow's voice rang out.

No way King! And abruptly, the white psychopath went into full rebellion. Ichigo grit his teeth as he tried to fight through it. He was going to –

Then warm fingers ran over his chest and Ichigo's eyes went wide as the hollow beside him kissed him full on the mouth. His mind cushioned in shock, he stared at the other man. He was looking at him with eyes that were full of warmth and desire.

"Fuck me, Alpha." He said, his voice husky and Ichigo shuddered. He was attracted to men and the way this guy was looking at him and that strange scent in the air… he was getting hard. He couldn't help it. Why was his hollow laughing? "Mate me, fill me with your seed." A warm tongue laved his throat and he abruptly lost control.

Grabbing the stranger – who was he again? Aside from the guy who had taken Orihime? – he got on top of him and ground their cloth covered erections together. The man beneath him moaned, letting his head fall back and exposing his throat for Ichigo's attentions. He gave it, feeling a compulsion to bite that pale column. So he did, tasting the blood in his mouth. It was filled with that beautiful scent and he whimpered deep in his throat, desperately needing more. His fingers bit into that pale skin, raising more tiny droplets of blood and releasing more of the scent into the air. Gasping, Ichigo completely gave up control to his instincts and just let himself feel.

The hollow rose up within him, not taking control but sharing in a strange Doppler effect. Ichigo felt a half-mask forming and didn't care. He worked on the ties to the other man's hakama, yanking down the fabric. To his pleasure, he wore nothing beneath it. Then his own hakama and underthings came off. Vaguely he noticed that the young girl had just woken up and he hesitated… until the hollow reached out to brush a hand over her helmet.

The girl vanished in blue sparkles and the man in front of him changed. Suddenly he had a mask fragment bracketing an empty eye socket, with a flame marking that matched the girl. And that scent just exploded. Ichigo knew there were things he was supposed to do – anal sex wasn't easy – but suddenly that knowledge didn't seem important. What he needed, what he wanted was to be inside, right now.

So that was what he did. Griping those long, limber legs, he flicked them over his shoulders before slamming into the other man. That should have hurt, he vaguely knew, but the stranger reacted as though it was the best thing he'd ever felt in his life. The cry beneath him was satisfying and it became moreso as he continued to take that man with a rough, harsh rhythm. It seemed like there was nothing he could do that would hurt him, which was good because right now Ichigo had no control. Although even in the frenzied sex, there was still one thing he wanted to know.

"What… is your name…?" He gasped out, before kissing the man. Their tongues fought for supremacy before the other submitted, allowing the young vizard to plunder his mouth.

"Coyote Starrk." He groaned out and Ichigo did know that name. One of the surviving arrancar, the Primera Espada… he'd promised to stay in Hueco Mundo. Why hadn't he? Then the pleasure wiped all coherent thought away and Ichigo bit down on a pale shoulder, tasting that intoxicating blood. "Oh sweet kami more…" More was definitely what he wanted to give this man.

As they had sex, Ichigo felt the other's spiritual pressure leaking out in a vortex like storm. His own responded without thought and he was left gasping at the feel of it, the urgent caresses that seemed to mimic their physical bodies. He groaned as he felt his completion coming, so close yet teasingly out of reach.

Then, wish an abrupt suddenness, he found it. The intense pleasure almost made him scream and the arrancar beneath him howled as their spiritual pressure almost exploded, flowing outwards in a powerful wave. Anything too weak died and those few who were strong enough fled. There was nothing in sensing distance powerful enough to challenge the Alpha and safely mate the Beta. They could only flee.

As he came down from his instinctual high, Ichigo wondered what he was doing. He had just…? With someone he didn't even know, except that he was one of Aizen's former lackey's and had taken Orihime away from him?

Why not ask him, King? His hollow sounded amused and Ichigo scowled. The hollow he was lying against, still entangled with, registered the expression and reacted with a soft whine. Ichigo blinked as his lips were nibbled. What was he…? Oi. He's a canine and he thinks you're mad at him for something. He's saying sorry in dog language.

"Oh… uh… I was just upset with my inner hollow." He apologized to the man beneath him, who immediately relaxed and looked at him with trust in his single grey eye. Was this really an Espada? He was acting so… strangely. "He said I should ask you what's going on." He was sure the white lunatic could tell him, he was just choosing not to. The man… Starrk… looked a bit surprised.

"Oh… I am a Beta in heat. You are an Alpha in rut. So we are mating, for as long as the heat lasts." He said and Ichigo swallowed as a hand went over his chest. "I'm honestly not sure how long that will be. Nothing about this is typical. I thought I was sterile… this is my first heat as an arrancar." He sounded very pleased and Ichigo wondered why. "And you are the first partner I have ever had who could take my spiritual pressure and live." Ah, that explained it.

"Mmm." Ichigo slowly separated from the stranger before glancing around. Then he blinked, going stiff as the surroundings registered. "Where am I?" This was not his rooms. This wasn't even the clearing from his dream. This was a cave, set deep in the stone and surprisingly comfortable. The man yawned and his body sparkled with blue light before that little girl reappeared. Ichigo blushed violently and grabbed for his clothes.

"Hueco Mundo… what's wrong?" He asked in concern and Ichigo stuttered as he pulled back on his pants.

"You just – she's – I'm naked!" That was a little girl and he was naked in front of her. The man just stared at him blankly for a moment before snorting and the girl rolled her single eye.

"Oi, he's a dumbass. I'm half of Starrk's soul, moron. You just mated me too." She informed him and he stared at her in horror. "Look, just think of me as his zanpakuto. Your zanpakuto could feel what's going on, couldn't he?"

"Uh…" Ichigo was sure Zangetsu would never do such a thing. The pained feeling he got from his sword spirit confirmed that. "Maybe my inner hollow is a better comparison." He certainly had felt everything. "But you're a child?" That seemed strange to him. Starrk sighed, laying back and putting his hands beneath his head.

"Her appearance is more true to our nature. We both died very young." He said softly and Ichigo swallowed at that, looking at the girl. She shrugged slightly. "Please, don't worry about it. We're strange but it's just how we are. Her name is Lilinette." He said, gently touching her helmet again. She smiled at him cheerfully.

"Ya! And I'm so glad you're here. We really needed to mate, it was starting to hurt when we found you." She said and Ichigo swallowed before nodding. Although…

"So, um, when this is over what will you do?" He had no way to leave Hueco Mundo. Although Kisuke and the others were probably trying to find him. Starrk yawned before smiling.

"If you wish to leave I will make a garganta for you." He said, which was a great weight off Ichigo's mind. The Espada saw that and his smile turned bittersweet. The little girl beside him sighed and grumbled something, but he hushed her gently. "Tell me. The human world looks so strange to me now… what is it like, living there?" He said and Ichigo blinked. When had this guy died, exactly?

"Um, well, it's pretty nice…" Hesitantly, he tried to tell the arrancar about his life in Karakura town. It was difficult and he often had to stop to explain basic concepts. The Espada didn't know what a car was, or a computer. Ichigo began figuring out how to explain it to him, though. 'Horseless carriage' helped him understand cars and 'calculating machine' seemed to work with computers.

Then the heat built up again. Ichigo could feel it, like an energy in the air, a need singing along his skin. There was no point in resisting and it was impossible anyway, when the Espada took his zanpakuto/fraccion/soul fragment back and the pheromones exploded again. Soon he was sheathed in that wet heat again and didn't question it.

The power of the heat was too much to be denied.

It was three days before the heat began to fade.

Starrk was almost sad to feel it go. He was finding he liked the young Vizard. His stories about the Living World were fascinating. Starrk hadn't been able to go there before he met Aizen, and his power was restrained by both his teachings and the hogyoku. And after that, Aizen had forbidden his Espada to visit the Living World. So Starrk simply hadn't been able to go see how it had changed.

Then, in the aftermath of defeat, he'd managed to escape back to Hueco Mundo. He'd encountered some shinigami in the ruins of Los Noches. They had been too few in number to reliably defeat him but could have given him a nasty battle. So when they'd asked him to promise that he would not visit Soul Society or the Living World, he had acquiesced. Now he rather regretted that. Perhaps he could take it back? He wanted to see some of the things Ichigo was describing…

Starrk had done his best to reciprocate, as well. Not with stories of his past as a Living man… that had been both short and unpleasant… but about his time in Los Noches. It had been a cold, empty place, filled with cold, bitter people, but there had still been amusing stories to tell.

Eventually, though, it had to come to an end. Starrk created the garganta and regretfully bid the young man farewell. Ichigo gave him a shy smile before purposefully heading down the garganta. Given the time difference, he would only have lost a single day. Likely the shinigami were still readying the garganta generator to go after him. Starrk and Lilinette both watched as the garganta closed and Starrk sighed. He was not surprised to be abandoned. It was the way of things, in Hueco Mundo.

"…Hey Starrk?" Lilinette suddenly said and he looked down at her. "You know, that hollow of his… he must know but… do you think he told Ichigo that we're knocked up?" She asked and Starrk paused in surprise.

"Er… I don't know." That was interesting. Although… "I told him we were in heat. Surely he understands?" Although their gender might have confused him. "That's interesting. I'm not sure what difference it makes, though." Starrk said after a moment. "I'm definitely not going to the Living World in this condition. In fact, we should find a new den." This one might be compromised and he did not trust the shinigami. Lilinette nodded.

"Yeah. I just wonder if he would have left if he'd known." She said and Starrk frowned before turning away.

"It wouldn't be right to keep him here. He has a life there and many people in it." He said firmly. "We are hollows and we will do what hollows do." Raise the pups on their own. "Come." He set off purposefully, Lilinette skipping behind him.

They would find a nice, secure den and begin to hunt. The pups would need more energy than just their bodies could provide.


	2. Chapter 2

Starrk wasn't planning on leaving Hueco Mundo.

For the shinigami, finding a single hollow in the whole of Hueco Mundo would be like looking for a needle in a very large haystack. Particularly since Starrk could control his reiatsu quite well, now. And the pups he was nurturing in his body were draining it, making it easier for him to hide.

Starrk wondered if the shinigami were looking for him at all. They had to know he'd been mating with the intention of whelping. However, they might have assumed nothing would come of it. After all, no arrancar had successfully reproduced. And he appeared to be male, which would confuse them. The hollows inside them could have told them but would they? Starrk doubted it. Why should they?

Going to the Living World or Soul Society, though, would draw their attention to him. So Starrk settled into his den, content to birth and raise his offspring on his own. It was the natural way of things in Hueco Mundo. Alphas that stayed with their Betas were the exception, not the rule in the lonely sands.

Unfortunately, he didn't anticipate the arrival of something excruciatingly annoying.

"WHAT the FUCK have you DONE?!" Starrk blinked at the blue haired arrancar glaring at his midsection. "Why do you stink like Kurosaki?" He growled and the Primera frowned.

"I fail to see why my actions are your business." He said after a moment and that only caused Grimmjow to growl, his eyes flashing. "You weren't here and I went into heat, so I found a partner. Do you mind?" This was making him uneasy. Grimmjow was not really powerful enough to cause him to abort and attempt a reseeding but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. And Starrk absolutely could not permit that. Not only because his Beta instincts wouldn't allow it, but because of the huge time lapse between his conversion and his first heat. There was no guarantee an abortion would spark a new heat and Starrk would not let any chances to procreate slip past, after so long alone.

"You whore." Grimmjow snarled and Starrk stiffened. "So you laid down for Kurosaki? What kind of a bitch are you?"

Oi! Don't let him talk to you that way! Smash his face in! Lilinette ordered sharply and Starrk was tempted to take her advice, his single eye narrowing. They were in their resurrection. It was easier to carry the children that way. Still… he didn't like fighting.

"There were three of them and he won the claiming battle." He said as civilly as he could manage. Which wasn't very. Grimmjow was definitely getting on his nerves. Then his single eye widened as the other arrancar snarled and drew his sword, flaring his power. "Grimmjow!"

"I'm going to make you abort those brats! Grind, Pantera!" Starrk had trouble believing it even when the other arrancar assumed his resurrection in a burst of power. Had he lost his mind? Even weakened, he was the Primera! Did Grimmjow really think he could take him?

Unfortunately, he was definitely going to try. Starrk soon found himself fully engaged and, to his chagrin, it wasn't an easy fight. The pups in his belly were sucking up his energy like sponges. Was he actual drained to the point that Grimmjow was nearly his equal? It appeared that he was.

Deciding that he didn't want to fight anyway and it was only right that the sire of his pups do something for him, Starrk employed his Cero Metralleta. Under the cover of the immense cero barrage he formed a garganta for the Living World. He heard Grimmjow roar behind him and was sure the other arrancar would be close behind.

Hopefully, Kurosaki and his hollow would be inclined to help him.

The flare of power caught the attention of everyone with spiritual power in Karakura town.

Fortunately, the first person on the scene was Ichigo. He caught the attention of both combatants. One reacted with relief while the other went even more deeply into a rage.

"KUROSAKI!" He quickly found himself facing an enraged and feral Grimmjow. The second person immediately fled, which did manage to catch the Espada's attention for a moment. "COYOTE! YOU FUCKING COWARD! I'LL DEAL WITH YOU NEXT!"

"Fuck off Grimmjow." That voice was very familiar. Ichigo stared at him for just a moment. The arrancar had put on weight? Then he had to devote all his attention to Grimmjow.

He wasn't the only one, though. Soon his friends arrived and they were followed by a taichou from Soul Society… Kyoraku? Ichigo was surprised to see him. Usually it was Toshiro or Byakuya. That decided matters and Grimmjow finally retreated down a garganta, still screaming threats at him and the other arrancar. They all paused for a moment, getting their breath back.

"Aw, why didn't you kill him?! Now what're we gonna do?" That tinny voice caught everyone's attention and they all turned to look at the second arrancar. He sighed, rubbing a hand across his forehead and Ichigo got to see him fully for the first time. He hadn't put on a little weight… he'd put on a lot. All around his middle for some reason.

"I didn't know arrancar could get fat." He said without thinking and the Espada lowered his hand, giving him the strangest look he'd ever received in his life. Kyoraku taichou chuckled softly but it was the guns who explained the situation. Well, sort of.

"Wow Starrk, you picked a good one! Sorry puppies, your sire is a frickin' moron. Good luck, you're gonna need it." The Espada banged his gun against his head. "OW! HEY!"

"Shut up." He grumbled before holstering his guns. "Hopefully power will make up for that… I'm whelping. It's rather the point of a heat." He ran a hand over his belly, a slightly proud look on his face. "Three healthy pups, all growing well."

"Pfft! It's a tiny litter! We should be having like eight or nine!" The guns said as Ichigo suddenly went pale. Whelping? Pups? He could hear his hollow tittering in the back of his mind. "But what are we gonna do now? We can't go back to Hueco Mundo! Grimmjow wants to make us abort!"

"And we are both badly drained by the children." Starrk said in displeasure before giving the most powerful shinigami in the area a fishy look. "But we can still defend ourselves, so don't get any ideas, taichou-san."

"I wouldn't dream of it! We were all wondering if you could really get pregnant from a Vizard. Particularly considering that you seem to be male." Kyoraku said cheerfully and Ichigo suddenly wondered about that. The Espada certainly had been a man when they… he blushed, trying to cut that thought off. "But then, the other half of your soul isn't. Does that have something to do with it?"

"No. Betas can be male or female." Starrk said, running a hand over his distended abdomen. "I have always been a Beta, but my rutting pressure killed most Alphas." Ichigo felt like his mind was locking up. So they were…?

"You're having… my child? Children?" He said, feeling faint. Three? The arrancar was having triplets. Starrk nodded, frowning slightly. "I, uh…" What was he supposed to do about this? It was insane! His hollow sighed before speaking.

You could invite him to stay. That's what he wants, since you dumbasses didn't kill Grimmjow. If he has to go back to Hueco Mundo those pups are going to be in danger. Or don't, he'll be disappointed but not surprised. His hollow said and Ichigo winced as he thought about it. That decided him and he tried to smile to the other man.

"Why don't you come to my place? I think you should meet my sisters." Although how he was supposed to explain his coming children… "You could have warned me, you asshole." He muttered to his hollow, who tittered again. Starrk smiled, with more than a little relief as he holstered his weapons.

"I would love to." He said and Ichigo had a definite feeling he'd just acquired a permanent houseguest. Would his father kill him for this?

He would just have to see.

Starrk settled into his Alpha's nest, feeling a tremendous sense of relief.

He was imposing and he knew it. Technically, this nest did not belong to Ichigo, it belonged to his sire. The Vizard was still considered a juvenile, something that was quite foreign to the Espada. In Hueco Mundo, as soon as children reached reproductive maturity they had to go. If they didn't, incest could easily happen. Hollows were very instinctive creatures and the animal kingdom did not care about such things. Although there was no dam present so Starrk supposed that would not be much of an issue for the Kurosaki clan.

Unaware that his thoughts would be appalling to his human hosts, Starrk glanced around curiously. The couch and furnishings were familiar enough and he recognized the monitor on the wall as similar to the computers Szayel used. What was all the stuff beneath it, though? He regarded the black and silver boxes thoughtfully before standing up and moving in front of them. There were buttons on them but he knew better than to touch. Doing that in Szayel's lab was a good way to catch some horrible pathogen.

He was still trying to puzzle it out when a pair of young females entered the room. He could tell from their scents that they were immature and one of them, the one with black hair, looked at him with a frown. The other went towards the kitchen, carrying bags. She didn't seem to see him at all which, judging from her reiatsu, was likely the case.

"Who are you?" The dark haired one asked. "Does Ichi-nii know you're you're here?"

"Coyote Starrk, Primera Espada. And yes, he invited me." He said honestly and saw her relax. Then something flashed by and Starrk casually moved to the side.

"OW!" The man who'd tried to tackle him went past and into the wall. The Espada just looked at him curiously. While he could sense that the stranger had power, he was currently in a gigai. That made any attack rather pathetic and pointless. "Well done! You have evaded my Super Daddy – OW!" Ichigo had just come down the stairs and punched the stranger in the head.

"Dad, stop it!" His Alpha seemed quite embarrassed and clearly thought this was pure silliness. Starrk watched the man who had attacked him and drew a slightly different conclusion. Despite the ridiculous actions and loud argument that was happening in front of him, he thought that had been a test. Had he passed? Starrk thought it was likely he had. His reaction had not been violent in the least.

"Oi, this is a crazy house. I want to go home." Lilinette muttered and Starrk sighed, gently patting her. He had to admit, if only to himself, that this place might exhaust him before long. He preferred peace and quiet.

"We can always take a walk." He said comfortingly as the man went to cry at a poster of a rather beautiful woman. Ichigo had a hand over his face, now.

"I'm sorry about this. It's not always this crazy here." He said apologetically and Starrk shrugged as Karin contradicted her brother.

"Yes it is. So are you staying for supper?" She asked and the girl in the kitchen poked her head out.

"Who are you talking to Karin-chan?" She asked and Ichigo grimaced, running a hand through his hair.

"One of Ichi-nii's friends. He's over there but you can't see him." She gestured and Starrk blinked as the other girl smiled shyly and waved.

"Oh. Tell him or her I said hello." She said and the Espada smiled as Lilinette laughed. That was cute.

"He's a guy and his name is Coyote Starrk. That's a weird name." Karin commented and Starrk blinked. Then his guns spoke.

"Oi! You forgot about me! Starrk, you didn't introduce me!" The girl looked confused, trying to find the source of the voice. "I'm Lilinette Gingerbuck! Starrk, show her!"

"Mmm, alright." He drew out one of his guns and didn't miss Ichigo's sire suddenly abandoning his silliness and focusing on the weapon. "This is Lilinette. We are in our release form so at the moment she does not have a separate body." He holstered the weapon again but the other man still watched him warily. "It is easier to carry our pups this way." He added by way of explanation.

"…Pups?" The girl said and Starrk glanced at his Alpha. Ichigo stared back at him helplessly.

"Hollows are made up equally of male and female souls. I'm a Beta, which means I carry litters. I am currently whelping." He said after a moment. It seemed explanations were up to him. "My power is badly drained and another arrancar was seeking to kill me. Ichigo offered me a place to stay, for a time." Starrk decided, purely on instinct, not to include that Ichigo was his Alpha and the sire of his pups. The red haired teenager stared at him, looking taken aback. Although they all did, really.

"So that's why you look kind of… um…" Karin was clearly avoiding the word 'fat'. Starrk smiled, unoffended. He must look quite odd to human eyes.

"Karin? What's going on?" Yuzu asked plaintively. Starrk went back to examining the box under the screen as she explained the entire situation to Yuzu. The girl not being able to see or hear him might become irritating before too long. Vaguely, he wondered if that could be fixed. Szayel might have had an idea but it was beyond him.

"Um, that's the PVR." Ichigo said quietly to him and Starrk glanced up. "It records TV shows." That really explained nothing. "Have you ever watched TV?"

"No. What is it?" He asked and soon Ichigo was showing him the remote. As they were doing that, his Alpha spoke in a low tone.

"You didn't tell them…" His gaze flickered towards his family. Yuzu was making supper now, as Karin and Isshin put things away. Starrk shrugged slightly.

"It is not their concern." He wasn't sure what obligations would go with such information, but he had a feeling there might be some. "I will whelp my children and, if your family can watch them for a short time, I will return to Hueco Mundo and hunt down Grimmjow." He fully intended to kill the other arrancar. He would have to leave his pups alone while he hunted and they would be hideously vulnerable. His powerful reiatsu would keep away most other arrancar and hollows, but not Grimmjow. The Sexta's hatred of Kurosaki had made him willing to take suicidal risks to eliminate his offspring. "Then I will return there with my children." He would raise his little ones alone. It was the way of things. Ichigo frowned, looking at him with troubled eyes.

"…We can discuss it." He said and Starrk blinked, wondering what there was to discuss. Surely the young Visored would not want him to stay in his sire's nest? A multi-generational situation… well, it could work if the older Alpha was no longer interested in breeding. Starrk considered the thought, finding it rather appealing if odd. But was that what Ichigo was suggesting? Putting aside the thought, he joined the small family for supper. The food did nothing for himself or the pups although the flavors were oddly familiar. Starrk allowed the conversation to wash over him, feeling almost at home.

It was strangely comforting.

A week later.

"I see you!" Starrk looked up from what he was doing in the kitchen, surprised. Yuzu was standing beside him, wearing a strange looking pair of glasses. "Starrk?"

"Yes." He said, faintly bewildered. Then he noticed the goggles also had something that went over her ears. "Oh, I see. This lets you see and hear me?" A bit slow on the uptake, perhaps, but he was a touch busy. Yuzu tried to peer in his mixing bowl. It had a filling of brown sugar, raisins and walnuts.

"What are you making?" She asked as Starrk took several dough balls from the fridge.

"Rugelach. This is something I remember." The memories of this had just come back to him spontaneously one day, along with the conviction that he had done this many, many times. "They are cookies. If you want, I can show you." He offered. Had she ever seen such a thing before?

"Please!" She chirped and Starrk smiled as he began showing her the technique. "It's like rolling out pie dough."

"Very similar but even with the time in the fridge, this dough is sticky. The plastic wrap helps." He said absently. "I remember chilling it by placing it outside. Once, a dog ate it." That had been annoying. Yuzu blinked before laughing. "A long time ago…" So very long. He vaguely remembered that that soul had been a middle aged woman with a very large family. How had she become part of his soul collection? Who knew.

"You're very large." She admired his midsection and Starrk smiled at her. "How long before you have them?" She asked and he could only shrug.

"I don't know. There is no way to measure time in Hueco Mundo." He said honestly. "And I am a canine hollow. They might be born helpless, blind and deaf." Hollow reproduction tended to follow their base form, so it varied widely. If he still held to a canine pattern they might be born quite early. "Now, you cut the dough into sections and layer with the preserves." He was using apricot jam. "Then you add the other mixture. It has cinnamon in it." That was not obvious. "Then you roll them…" Starrk demonstrated, shaping them with ease and assurance. Yuzu watched, fascinated.

"Where do they come from, Starrk-san?" She asked and he paused, trying to remember. It was hard but being in the Living World was bringing out his souls more clearly.

"They are… Jewish." He said after a moment. "Yes. That is it." Although he knew nothing of Judaism beyond the name. Religion was foreign to any hollow. Finishing with the rolling, he placed them in the oven. It was warm and ready for them. "The dough has no sweetness. That comes entirely from the filling. I suppose they are much like pies." The taste was quite similar.

"Pie cookies, they sound nice." Starrk nodded and thought of something. Gesturing towards the second disk of dough, he smiled at her.

"Would you like to try?" He'd seen her baking and was certain Yuzu could handle rugelach. She smiled at him and took over, rolling out the dough easily. She quickly found that the plastic wrap was quite necessary. "You can use a different jam, if you would prefer." Apricot went well with the brown sugar but there were other options. Yuzu looked at the filling thoughtfully.

"Can anything go in these?" She asked and Starrk nodded. "I'll use this for this time, but if I made them again maybe I'll try something different. A raspberry compote with candied orange peel?"

"With pecans, perhaps? I'm sure it would be delicious." Starrk did love to have nuts in these cookies. He seemed to remember that the crunch was important. "Or slivered almonds." Those would be good. Yuzu nodded as she pulled out some marmalade and began to spread it on the dough.

"Yes, that would be perfect – oh, hello Ichi-nii! Hello father!" She greeted the two men as the door opened. They were arguing quietly about something but that stopped the instant they saw the two of them. Ichigo smiled and even to Starrk's eyes, it seemed forced.

"Hi Starrk. Hey Yuzu, what's cooking?" He asked, likely assuming she was the one baking. Starrk did not correct him as he pulled off is apron, hanging it up.

"Rugelach cookies. Starrk-san made them." She said brightly and her sire spoke.

"Yuzu, what are those things you're wearing?" Starrk noted the time before going to the living room and slumping into the couch. It wouldn't take too long for the cookies to bake, he knew exactly when to take them out. As he sat he heard Lilinette snore and smiled, gently stroking one of his guns. She would undoubtedly wake up as soon as he put a cookie into his mouth. Ichigo came to join him after a moment, glancing back into the kitchen.

"Starrk, can I ask you something?" He sounded troubled. Starrk nodded.

"Of course." They hadn't had much time to talk the past week.

"I, um… would you like to date me?" He asked in a rush and Starrk tried to understand. A thousand years came to nothing.

"From the context I don't think you mean dried fruit?" Starrk asked and Ichigo stared at him for a moment before snorting.

"No, I mean… would you be willing to let me get to know you? Try to figure out if we should stay together?" He asked and Starrk saw a deep worry in those brown eyes. "I don't want my children to suddenly vanish into Hueco Mundo." He lowered his voice at that, glancing at the kitchen. Starrk knew he hadn't told his sire about his indiscretion yet. Apparently, breeding before you had your own nest was forbidden for human younglings.

"You mean a courtship." It was a relief to put this into terms he understood. "I would not mind." Although what kind of kill the Vizard would bring him, he had no idea. Oh wait. "Could you bring me Grimmjow as a kill?" He asked brightly. "I want to eat him." He would love to eat the Sexta. The threat the other male posed to his pups was unacceptable. Ichigo stared at him like he was an alien species.

"I, um… I'm hoping to avoid having to kill him." He said after a moment and Starrk sighed to himself. He didn't think that was likely. And why would Ichigo care to spare the life of a rival Alpha? It must be a human thing. Starrk had no doubt the hollow he'd first mated would gladly bring him Grimmjow's dismembered body. "Maybe we could go down to the river later?" Starrk hesitated but vague memories came up, telling him that taking walks in the moonlight was a form of courtship for humans. Strange, but the water would be pretty, so he consented. As he went to the kitchen to take out the cookies, he reflected on the way his life was going.

This was going to be a very strange courtship.


	3. Chapter 3

For Starrk, adapting to the Living World was an interesting process.

He understood nothing. His memories of the Living World were vague and mainly seemed to be quite rural. He remembered a farm? And very many children, little ones that he… she?... had cared for. Skills with food kept coming back and once he made the Kurosaki family a matza ball soup. It had been foreign to them but quite delicious.

But with those memories came certain cultural attitudes. It didn't help that they were mimicked by his life as a hollow. Aizen had not cared to teach any of his Espada to read. And Starrk would have refused in any case because…

"That is for nobles und schwein." Starrk protested. He absolutely couldn't see the point of what Ichigo was trying to get him to do. The young man, though, looked at him very strangely.

"I'm sorry, what?" He said and Starrk abruptly paled as he realized what he'd just said. It was one thing to express those sentiments to your close relatives, but with a stranger… and one who already knew how to read…

"I am sorry. I did not mean to offend. I was not thinking." He said, lowering his head. He was genuinely ashamed of himself. Why had he used such an offensive word? Ichigo just shook his head, though.

"Starrk, I just don't understand. That's German, right? What does it mean?" He asked and Starrk hesitated before awkwardly trying to explain.

"Literally, it means pig. In context it means… stuck up person who pretends to be noble." Although those words sort of sucked the emotion out of it. Schwein was an expression of contempt and near hate. "It is a bad word." Truly, it was not the kind of thing you just threw around. Ichigo frowned at him.

"It sounds like you're stuck in the past." He said and Starrk blinked. "Starrk, Japan has a ninety percent literacy rate. There are signs absolutely everywhere. It's possible to get by without being able to read, but it's very hard. Times have changed. Are you sure you don't want to learn? The children will need to, if you want to stay."

"…" Starrk nervously ran a hand over his distended belly. He could feel the pups moving now, strong little wiggles and kicks. He still wasn't sure he wanted to stay in the Living World. Did he want to learn to read? Then Lilynette suddenly spoke.

"Yeah! Learn it Starrk! You might not be a noble but you're an Espada! The Primera! Heck, what else is nobility but the strongest guy on the heap?" That made him pause because she was right. His primary female soul, the one who had led him to be a Beta, rather agreed. Nobles ruled by their might, little else. So why was he not a noble? Perhaps it was a meaningless thing in these modern times, but perhaps he should think of himself that way.

"I will learn to read." He capitulated before looking at his guns thoughtfully. "And when we have whelped, you will too." He said firmly. If he was doing this Lilynette would too. It wouldn't be practical when she was in her gun form, however. There was an ecstatic sound and he blinked.

"Yeah! Yeah! I really want to learn! I'm as good as anyone!" Ah, of course. Lilyentte likely also came from a time where commoners did not read. Or perhaps she had been prevented for being a girl. Starrk's primary soul had at least been spared that. Her husband and children had all been illiterate. Starrk smiled and gently patted her before looking expectantly at Ichigo. He smiled and began bringing out the books.

They worked for an hour before calling a halt to it. Ichigo had his own schoolwork to do and Starrk needed to help prepare supper. Soon he was helping to prepare the fish. Fresh fish… it was not something he could recall eating, much. And then it had always been caught from a river, muddy and full of bones. This was different.

"These ocean fish are good eating. I remember, when I was alive, I ate salted fish sometimes. Also gefilte fish." He mentioned as he sliced the vegetables.

"Oh, what is that? I've never heard of it." Yuzu asked innocently and Starrk had to think for a moment. What had it been…?

"Many fish, ground and mixed with eggs, onions and breadcrumbs, then pushed into the fish skin and poached. Like… fish sausage. Very poor fish were used. I hated it." He admitted. Not his favorite dish, by any measure. "So many bones… carp was often used. My children liked it more." They were quite fond of it, but then, his primary soul had tried to use better fish and put in as many eggs as she could. Her own dam had bought the cheapest possible, with nasty bones.

"Starrk? What happened to her? I mean, if you don't mind me asking." Yuzu asked and Starrk hesitated, trying to remember. How had she become a hollow? Ah, yes.

"Mmm, there was a war. The enemy came through and killed everyone." Starrk shrugged as she stared at him, appalled. "We were the wrong kind. Although they might not have cared even if we had been." Looters often didn't give a damn who they were stealing from. "There were many hollows. The shinigami did not come fast enough." So many angry ghosts. Yuzu swallowed before nodding. "Two of the girls were taken. Perhaps they survived." They had been teenagers, old enough to be useful and attractive. His primary soul had been much too old to be interesting.

"Oh. That's horrible." She said, a touch subdued. Starrk just shrugged before reaching over to pat her back.

"It was a long time ago." His female primary soul hadn't even been particularly angry about it. She'd known what would happen as soon as she'd seen the mercenaries. Such men were notorious. She had been locked in a deep sorrow, though, and that had prevented her from finding Soul Society without help. The many angry hollows… one of them had eaten her and the cycle had continued. "She was a strong woman, but she is not the strongest of my souls. Until recently, I did not remember her… having pups growing in me is bringing her forward." He added the carrots to the vegetables, stirring them before adding the soy sauce. "This will be delicious." He was gaining a great fondness for Japanese food. It was nothing like what his female primary soul had eaten, but he thought she would have liked it as well.

Soon they were done and everyone came to the table. The food was very good and Starrk grimaced as his pups decided to become more active. Perhaps they could taste the food? Or maybe it was just chance. Running a hand over his belly, he felt the pups moving around. It made him smile with possessive pride. They would be strong…

"Hey, eat more food! I like it!" Lilynette ordered and he laughed before sampling more of the food. It actually did seem to help sustain him. Although part of it was also Kurosaki's reiatsu… he constantly spun it off and Starrk was able to feed a bit on it, just syphoning it out of the air. That was enough for now, but he wondered if it would be once the pups left his body. And when would that happen? Soon, he suspected.

After supper was done, Starrk watched a bit of TV. It was an amusing show, a game of some sort? The humans had to go through an obstacle course and seemed to be rather poor at it. The failures could be quite amusing and it helped that no one was really hurt.

The doorbell rang and Starrk automatically brushed out his reiatsu, expecting to find it was one of Ichigo's friends. He tensed and heard Lilynette's grumble as he sensed something quite different. Isshin went to the door, frowning slightly. But then, he would understand better than anyone how Soul Society worked.

"Ah, Isshin!" Taichou-san was there, wearing a gigai. He looked quite handsome in his long sleeved shirt and jeans, but Starrk was not in the right mindset to appreciate it. He greeted the man's appearance with great suspicion. "It's been a while. Do you mind if I come in?"

"Not at all." Isshin said politely although Starrk could sense a certain reserve in him. "You're here to see Starrk-san?" He asked and Starrk sighed to himself. Of course he would be.

"Yes indeed. Ah, there you are!" Taichou-san took a seat on the sofa beside him without asking for permission, likely because Starrk would not have granted it. He thought he understood what this man did, now. And despite the surface charm he believed the shinigami was more like Ulquiorra than himself. Still, there was no point in stating his deep suspicion.

"Hello taichou-san." He said, making the best of it. The shinigami smiled at him charmingly before glancing over his body assessingly.

"You're looking very large. Will you be giving birth soon?" Taichou-san asked and Starrk shrugged.

"I believe so. It is difficult to say, since Hueco Mundo does not mark time." There was just no way to do so, with the unchanging moon overhead. You could mark it by sleeps if you wished to, but how long was a sleep? It varied, without the sun to lend rhythm. "And I am a wolf type hollow. They may come early." That was why he thought he might give birth soon. The pups could be born blind, deaf and helpless, just like his base form. Kyoraku nodded, looking at him thoughtfully.

"And will you be returning to Hueco Mundo?" He asked and Starrk hesitated.

"That is uncertain." He said after a moment. The problem now was that Isshin was listening, wary of the powerful shinigami in his den. But he did not know that Ichigo was going to be a sire, so Starrk had to be circumspect in his replies. "It may be better for the children to remain." Isshin was aware of the fact that he was having hybrids. But then, he was a hybrid himself, in a way. "Are you here to kill me if I am a threat?" He decided to be blunt, hearing Lilynette's grumble. But her opinion of taichou-san mimicked his own. There was a small laugh from the other man.

"You have a low opinion of me, Espada-san!" He said but there was a hint of regret in his smile. "I would never harm a pregnant woman." He said seriously and Starrk greeted that with a hefty dose of suspicion. He was not a pregnant female shinigami, after all. He was a pregnant Beta hollow. "I get the feeling you don't believe me."

"We wouldn't believe you if you said the moon was up in Hueco Mundo!" Lilynette said abrasively and Starrk sighed. He would not have put it so bluntly, but she was speaking both their minds. Kyoraku looked hurt. "You'd do anything if they told you to!"

"That's not true at all, you know. I went against Yama-jii and Central 46, once. Of course, Aizen had actually murdered them but we didn't know that at the time." He protested mildly. Starrk regarded that with a certain degree of contempt, although he hid it beneath a blank expression.

"I am sure you acted for a shinigami, not a hollow. What are your intentions, then?" He said after a moment and the other man stared at him for a moment. Starrk just met his eyes calmly. Taichou-san looked away after a moment.

"We just want to keep an eye on you, Espada-san. You are quite dangerous, after all." He said after a moment. Lilynette snorted and he smiled, crookedly. "You know, it's very hard to do this when you suspect everything I say."

"You're a liar." Lilynette muttered and Starrk sighed, resting a hand on the butt of his gun. Not in a threatening way, but to caution his other half.

"You are deceptive." He corrected her. There was nothing wrong with deceiving an enemy, after all, and surely he was still accounted that. "It is something to be wary of." Shunsui sighed, reaching up to scratch his ponytail.

"I knew this would not go well… I tried to convince them to send someone else, but they said I know you best. And Juushiro pointed out you would just suspect me of sending them." He said and Starrk couldn't help but smile just a little. Lilynette snorted.

"Yeah, we'd know they're your winged monkeys!" She said abrasively and Starrk stared at his guns, perplexed.

"Winged monkeys?" He'd never heard that one before. Lilynette paused, confused.

"I, um… it just came out? It means, like, the unsavory guy who follows along behind doing whatever you say and picking his nose when he's not." She said and Starrk heard Shunsui choke a bit.

"Oh." That… wasn't bad. In fact, it was pretty good. "Winged monkeys, yes… but we have no set plans yet." He turned his attention back to taichou-san. He was regarding them both with a slight smile. "I have no intention to cause trouble, however." That, he could assure them. Kyoraku looked at him levelly for a moment before nodding.

"I do believe that, Starrk-san. The only troublesome thing is convincing everyone else." He said before pushing himself to his feet. "Well, I'm sure I'll see you again soon. Good luck with the birth."

"Thank you." He replied politely, watching the man go. What was he in Soul Society, exactly? Spymaster, private executioner? Starrk was sure it was something dark. The frown on Isshin's face as he watched the other man go seemed to agree with him. Still, he did not intend to cause any trouble and Ichigo would protect him. Perhaps that would be enough. Turning aside, he went back to the TV.

Hopefully the pups would be born soon and he could decide.

Strangely enough, the decision on whether or not to stay or go was taken out of his hands.

The birth came only a week later. Starrk wasn't expecting the pains to come over him so abruptly. He was just standing at the cutting board, peeling some carrots. The next moment he was doubled over in pain, gasping as things in his body began to shift. It wasn't the first time that had happened but it was very uncomfortable…

"Starrk-san? Oh, what's wrong?" Yuzu asked as he grunted, letting the knife drop. It hurt too much… "Oh, is it the babies?"

"Yes." He rasped out, trying to take a step. Then he ended up on his knees as his body refused to obey. "I… can't…" The problem was the fact that he was a male Beta. His body had to give birth and that meant changing to accommodate his female souls' anatomy. Not difficult, given that he was a hollow and rather plastic, but still not pleasant. "I… my room…" He would prefer to give birth in his own nest. He had discussed this with Isshin and he had agreed to it.

"Of course!" Yuzu ran out to fetch Ichigo and Isshin. Soon the two of them were there, helping him up. Starrk gasped as there was a final, sharp pain in his nether regions. It abruptly vanished, replaced with a different sort of pain. He was suddenly able to walk much better and Isshin noticed the change.

"What happened…?" He asked and Lilynette was the one that answered.

"He finished shifting over to girl bits. That's the part that hurts REALLY bad for a male like him." She said and Ichigo looked a touch nauseated while Isshin looked fascinated. "Now's just the contractions, that's easier."

"Yes…" They were just starting, too. "I had forgotten." It had been forever since he'd done this. He grimaced at a particularly strong contraction. There was no urge to push, yet. He knew that meant it was not time.

Settling into his room, Starrk chose to lean against the wall, just experiencing the labor pains as he sought a meditative state. He allowed Lilynette to field Isshin's and Ichigo's questions.

"It's really early. Might be hours before they come down a bit. Just give him some time, ya? He just wants to hang out in here and pace and stuff." She said as Starrk closed his eyes. Then he opened them as he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked into the face of his Alpha.

"Starrk, are you okay?" Ichigo looked extremely worried and Starrk smiled. He remembered… he remembered that that was normal, for a first time father. Ah, how long it had been…

"I am fine. Lilynette is right, it might be hours." He said tranquilly. "Perhaps I should call you when it is time?" It was going to be quite boring, as he paced around a bit, letting the labor slowly build. Ichigo shook his head but Isshin nodded.

"I'm certain you're right. Call me when you need me." He said with a smile and Starrk had the feeling that he had delivered a great many babies. Ichigo hovered nearby, every inch the worried Alpha. Starrk thought of something.

"Why don't you get the books? I can practice my reading." He suggested and that at least gave Ichigo something to do. He left the room to fetch the books and soon came back with them. Starrk idly paced as he tried to read aloud, Ichigo helping him at points. Lilynette made some rather unhelpful comments, too excited to return to sleep.

It was almost an hour when Starrk's water suddenly broke. He paused, grimacing as the contractions became painful. Sinking to his knees, he felt Ichigo's arm around his shoulders and looked up into worried brown eyes.

"You should fetch your father. It's time." He said before reaching for his pants, intent on ridding himself of the fabric. Nudity did not concern him. Ichigo shot out of the room and soon Isshin came back. Starrk vaguely saw Yuzu and Karin peering past him curiously.

The rest of the birth proceeded well. Starrk handled it with the ease of a many time mother, and his body also seemed to remember. Isshin checked him and gently encouraged him as Ichigo held his hand. Lilynette also gave him a bit of cheering, which he regarded with amusement.

Eventually, the first child came into the world. A girl, she screamed loud and long when her nose and mouth were cleared. Starrk chuckled softly before grunting as his body worked on the afterbirth. He would have tidied it up, but Isshin took care of it, to his bemusement. Then he was able to pause for a moment and examine his child.

She was definitely worth a second look. Her hair was white as the driven snow and her eyes, when she opened them, were that odd gold and black that seemed to mark the Visored. Her ears were like a coyote's and Starrk was a touch relieved to see that she had not been born deaf and blind. Not that he would have minded, but he was pleased to see her eyes. Taking the little one in his arms, he was unsurprised to feel a tiny tail, flicking against his arm energetically.

"Very good, a strong pup." He said approvingly. He could sense her good health and vigor. Then he grimaced as the contractions began again. "Ah…" Passing her to Ichigo, he grunted as his next child began dropping. He or she was coming very fast…

In retrospect, they both should have anticipated what happened next. But even if they had, there wouldn't have been a lot they could do about it. Still, perhaps Ichigo would have been better prepared.

"…Would you both care to explain this?" Isshin said in an impressively even tone as he gently dried off a little boy. Starrk panted in exhaustion, gazing at his little offspring. This baby had taken more after his shinigami heritage, with no obvious hollow signs. And, alas, bright orange hair. "Ichigo?" There was a growl to his voice and Starrk glanced at his Alpha before deciding lying was pointless. His guilt was written all over his face.

"I was in heat and it sent his hollow into rut." He said after a moment, when it was clear Ichigo was struggling to find anything to say. "He won the claiming battle for me. I am sorry, I know this is against your traditions." Reaching out, he took the child from Isshin. The man closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then he fixed his rather sheepish son with a glare.

"We'll discuss this later." He said firmly and Starrk was sure it wouldn't be a nice discussion. But he had a final child to bring into the world. Gently holding his second child, he waited. It wouldn't be much longer.

After the first two births to pave the way, the third was very swift. But that was partly because the child was very small. Starrk gazed at her in vague alarm, feeling that he was looking at the runt of the litter. She was barely half the size of the other two and her cry was weak. Her hair was very dark, a shade darker than his own, and she was the first of the pups to show visible bones. They were strange, though. Just the tiniest film of white over half her skull, Starrk had a feeling they might change. Her eyes, when she opened them, were dark red. Isshin was looking her over and Starrk swallowed, feeling deeply concerned.

"There's nothing obviously wrong, but she's smaller and weaker than the other two." He said after a moment and Starrk nodded before holding out his arms. Bringing the little pup to his chest, he gently stroked the fuzzy part of her head. She whimpered before gazing up at him.

"I… should have expected it. Three is not a small litter for a vasto lorde." He should have expected that one of his pups would get the short end of the stick. Lilynette was sniffling softly and he smiled reassuringly at his guns. "She will be fine." Actually, he was not sure of that at all. Hueco Mundo had no patience for weakness and if he had to go back, she would be in the most danger. "Her name will be Honovi. It means strong deer." Because she would be strong. He would make sure of it. "Her sister will be… Totsi. It means… shoes?" He vaguely recalled… wait, where were these names coming from? Not his primary female soul. No, this was all from his stronger male half. "Leather shoes with beads?"

"Moccasins?" Ichigo ventured and Starrk nodded.

"Yes, that is the word." Pausing, he regarded the one boy of the litter. He was calm and gazing around alertly. "He will be Alo. It means spiritual guide." That seemed appropriate, given that he was the most shinigami of the three.

"Have the two of you discussed this?" Isshin's tone was neutral and Starrk blinked at him. Discuss?

"No. I am the dam, I will name the pups." He said and saw Ichigo wince. "…Is this not right?" The dam was the one who would always stay, among hollows, so it was given that the dam would name the offspring. Starrk hesitated as he vaguely recalled that for humans, that might not be right. "Are the names not good?" If not, he would be willing to change them. Ichigo shook his head, gently cradling little Totsi to his chest. She was beginning to doze off, her tiny body tired from the exertion of being born.

"No, they're fine." He said softly and Starrk couldn't shake the feeling that he'd done something wrong. Lilynette spoke up, then.

"You know, we're just different! If you wanted to name them you shoulda said something! Use your words!" She berated his Alpha and Starrk blinked. Ichigo smiled then, and it was genuine.

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't mind, they're beautiful names." Ichigo said and Isshin took a deep breath.

"Ichigo, come with me…" Starrk was soon settled in with his pups and wondered what the two of them would be discussing. Hopefully there would not be too much shouting. Karin and Yuzu paid him a visit, fawning over his pups and exclaiming over little Alo's hair. Really, his parentage was obvious. So was Totsi's, but they had never seen Ichigo as a hollow. Eventually, they left him alone and Starrk thought for a moment before sealing his power. Lilynette reappeared and cuddled around the infants, lending body heat. Starrk smiled at the sight before settling in with his offspring.

Soon he would begin the exhausting but rewarding process of tending to their needs.


End file.
